Positioning means and method for containers of a press

ABSTRACT

The disclosure of this invention pertains to an extrusion, forging or shaping press. The drawings illustrate an extrusion press incorporating three billet containers, the use of which enables three different operating phases to be carried out simultaneously. The disclosure particularly relates to the employment of an hydraulic piston cylinder assembly and rack and gear for providing a finite or definite degree of precise rotation of the containers in their advancement from one phase or station to another phase or station.

[451 Oct. 22, 1974 nite Eaten ntet [191 Kent [ POSITIONING MEANS ANDMETHOD FOR CONTAINERS ()F A PRESS Primary ExaminerC. W. Lanham AssistantExaminer-Robert M. Rogers Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Henry C. Westin;Daniel Patch [75] Inventor: Francis J. Kent; Wallingford, Pa.

Wean United Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.

Apr. 27, 1973 [73] Assignee:

[22] Fled: ABSTRACT The disclosure of this invention pertains to anextru- 211 Appl. No.: 355,234

sion, forging or shaping press. The drawings illustrate .g.r.ne m mmm min nr wtp 0e 0e Cp f t h d o CITIHIB mn naCm bmvr kmm e ym r. U f U molm o g d 60m enmn mfl ea a a g rte t me me m mu mmm w m w rlnlu m vnvzr w tw my... a m .0 Ta a onwsafiilhz C8 wrum mp .mhwhfi flm s.m l mwno h:l hn ru th m w ml wm m m C D190.. mmnmm n .m u m o v .mw Cm m m m m wmre .1 .lm p e mmem t e fi nwmlm mmnnr aePwdPoo 3 3 DMD 666 2/2 222 /3WWW n 777 c 9 4 "n" 2, WWW %B3 u .5 H y 4 m 7 n n n & m m m 2 m m M M mA m m m Mme mnm S n E wh mm CT mc m m m m A awn. "u" rTh od up QSERE h""c MD mmm E457 ""9 us lll N/// l.f U 50 H I I ll UmF 575 3 11]] 625 2 86 H hn M 555 5 t [r|l[ 333 POSITIONING MEANS AND METHOD FOR CONTAINERSOF A PRESS Qe disadvantage of not beingable to assure that thecontainers when advanced, for example, when rotated,

would stop at least in close proximity to the proper registered positionin the working station. This is particularly important inmoving thecontainers into the extrusion station where the billet carried by thecontainer must line up exactly with the opening of the die of the press.One prior mechanism for moving the containers has been in the form of anelectric motor and brake assembly. Because of the inertia inherentlyinvolved in such power means, however, their use has notbeen foundpractical or economical in stopping the containers quickly andaccurately enough to obtain the desired registry.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide incombination with a press having multiple containers a power means havinga finite or definite length of stroke for advancing the containersquickly and accurately into their various operative stations and amethod for accomplishing this.

More particularly, the present invention provides a method and means ofoperating a rack and gear arrangement, the rack being displaced by anhydraulic piston cylinder assembly and the gear being secured to arotatably supported hub for the containers.

These objects, as well as other novel features and advantages, of thepresent invention will be better understood when the followingdescription of one embodiment is read along with the accompanyingdrawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of an extrusion pressillustrating three containers and a container rotating apparatus builtin accordance with the teaching of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the container rotatingapparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 illustrates the three horizontally extending tie rods 10, 12 and14 of an extrusion press, the other components of the press not beingillustrated since they follow well-known construction and a showingthereof is not required to describe the present invention. It should benoted, however, that the containers about to be described are locatedaxially of and parallel to the tie rods between the stationary platenand the moveable crosshead of the extrusion press.

It will also be appreciated that the construction of the containers,their association with a common hub and the rotational supports for thehub follow designs familiar to the press industry. As noted before, thepress is serviced by three containers l6, l8 and which are shown intheir operative positions in three different stations legended in theFIG. 1 as the Loading Station for the container 16, the ExtrusionStation for the container 18, and the Cleaning Station for the container20.

The containers are secured to a common hub 22 which has an open centerfor encircling the tie rod 10, the hub actually being supported by anouter intermediate sleeve 24 which is supported in turn by two spacedapart stands, which are shown at 26 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Radially outward of the sleeve 24 and concentric therewith there isprovided a segmental gear 28, best shown in FIG. 2, where it is seenthat the remainder of the segment takes the form of an 180 sleeve 30,the two elements being secured together by a series of bolts 31. Asshown in FIG. 2, both the gear 28 and the sleeve 30 at their insidesurfaces are keyed to the driving member 32 of a clutch which engages adriven clutch member 33 shown only in FIG. 1, and which is secured tothe hub 22 so as to cause its rotation in a clockwise direction as oneviews FIG. l,'the direction being indicated by the arrow in this FIGURE.The hub not only will be rotated but also, according to familiarpractice, will move axially so that the rotational movement will betransferred by the clutch.

The gear segment 28 is rotated by a rack 34 shown in FIG. 2, the lowerend of which is connected to the end 'of a piston rod of an hydraulicpiston cylinder assembly36, the rack being guided in an elongated guidebar 38 received in guides formed in a housing 40 that encloses the rack34. The entire rack assembly is carried by an upright L-shaped stand 42,to which also the cylinder of the piston cylinder assembly 36 issecured.

It will be appreciated that during the engagement of the driving anddriven members 32 and 33 of the clutch, the rack 34 will be in itsretracted position as shown in FIG. 2 in readiness to rotate thecontainers, and that when the clutch members are disengaged the rack canbe brought from its extended position to the retracted position withoutcausing rotation of the containers. As noted in FIG. 2, the number ofteeth provided on the gear segment 28 allows for the required rotationof the containers by providing the required uni-directional and finiterotation of the hub 22 and, hence,of the containers 16, 18 and 20 toaccurately bring them to the three illustrated and legended stations.

In briefly describing the operation of the disclosed form of the presentinvention, let it be assumed that the rack 34 is in its retractedposition as shown in FIG. 2. When it is desired to rotate the hub 22and, accordingly, the containers 16, 18 and 20 to advance them to theirnext stations, for example, when the container in the extrusion stationis at the end of its position for withdrawing the stub of the cut offextruded rod or the position for stripping the butt out of the liners ofthe container, the clutch elements 32 and 33 will be engaged so that onoperation of the piston cylinder assembly 36 the rack 34 will beextended a definite and finite distance whereby the gear 28 will rotatethe hub 22 a similar distance to accurately position each container inits next station. Upon the later disengagement of the clutch elements,for example, when the container in the extrusion station is moved to itsdie sealing position or phase of operation, the piston cylinder assembly36 can be again operated to return the rack to its retracted position inreadiness for the next rotation of the containers In accordance with theprovisions of the patent statutes, l have explained the principles andoperation of my invention and have illustrated and described what Iconsider to represent the best embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In combination with a press having a number of billet containers anda number of working stations to which the containers are selectivelybrought,

common support means for supporting said containers,

means for supporting said common support means in a manner that thecontainers can be rotated from station to station, and power meanshaving a member drivenly connectable to said common support means, saidmember having a finite linear working stroke whereby said containers canbe rotated a definite and accurate distance for their accurate registryin said stations. 2. In combination with a press according to claim 1,wherein said common support means includes a hub,

said means for rotationally supporting said common support meansincluding a sleeve, and in which said power means includes a geardrivenly connectable to said hub, a rack arranged to mesh with saidgear, and a piston cylinder assembly connected to said rack.

3. In combination with a press according to claim 2, including a clutchdrivenly associated with said hub, and

means for connecting said gear to said clutch.

4. In a method of succeedingly rotating a number of containers of apress into a number of working stations, including a pressing station,said press also having a means for supporting said containers forrotationally moving the containers from station to station and formoving the container in said pressing station axially of the center axisof pressing in a number of axial positions, said means including a powermeans having a finite power stroke and a return stroke, comprising thesteps of:

operating said power means in its power stroke to cause said containersto be rotated to position one of the containers in said pressing stationwhen another of said container'in said pressing station is in one ofsaid axial positions and is about to be moved away from said pressingstation, and

operating said power means in its return stroke when a container in saidpressing station is in a different one of said axial positions, and at atime when said containers are not rotatable.

1. In combination with a press having a number of billet containers anda number of working stations to which the containers are selectivelybrought, common support means for supporting said containers, means forsupporting said common support means in a manner that the containers canbe rotated from station to station, and power means having a memberdrivenly connectable to said common support means, said member having afinite linear working stroke whereby said containers can be rotated adefinite and accurate distance for their accurate registry in saidstations.
 2. In combination with a press according to claim 1, whereinsaid common support means includes a hub, said means for rotationallysupporting said common support means including a sleeve, and in whichsaid power means includes a gear drivenly connectable to said hub, arack arranged to mesh with said gear, and a piston cylinder assemblyconnected to said rack.
 3. In combination with a press according toclaim 2, including a clutch drivenly associated with said hub, and meansfor connecting said gear to said clutch.
 4. In a method of succeedinglyrotating a number of containers of a press into a number of workingstations, including a pressing station, said press also having a meansfor supporting said containers for rotationally moving the containersfrom station to station and for moving the container in said pressingstation axially of the center axis of pressing in a number of axialpositions, said means including a power means having a finite powerstroke and a return stroke, comprising the steps of: operating saidpower means in its power stroke to cause said containers to be rotatedto position one of the containers in said pressing station when anotherof said container in said pressing station is in one of said axialpositions and is about to be moved away from said pressing station, andoperating said power means in its return stroke when a container in saidpressing station is in a different one of said axial positions, and at atime when said containers are not rotatable.